1. Technical Field
The disclosed embodiments generally relate to cutting boards used for food preparation. In particular, this disclosure relates to a cutting board system that minimizes cross-food contamination and improves the ergonomics of food processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cutting boards used for processing of foods are pervasive in restaurants and domestic kitchens. A typical restaurant may have five or more cutting boards. Traditionally, cutting boards have been made of a hardwood, such as maple, oak, or ash. However, concerns about sanitizing a wooden cutting board has led to the increased use of other materials. Polymeric materials, or plastics, such as for example, high density polyethylene (HDPE) are non-porous and easier to clean. HDPE board surfaces get damaged after repeated use as knives cut into the surface. The cut marks in the surface provide locations where bacteria can thrive, Sanitization of plastic cutting boards becomes as critical as it is for wooden cutting boards.
Because of a high volume of food preparation and concerns regarding cross-contamination of bacteria from different types of foods, a restaurant kitchen may have 5 or 6 cutting boards in use at any given time. Separate boards are required to process, cut, slice, or chop different foodstuffs. Alternatively, a single cutting board would have to be washed and sanitized before use with different foodstuffs. This is costly, time consuming and impractical in a restaurant setting.
Since even plastic cutting boards become damaged and need to be periodically replaced, the cost of maintaining a supply of useable cutting boards is significant to a restaurant or other food processing facility.
When multiple cutting boards are used in a restaurant, they will have to be washed and sanitized at times throughout the hours of operation, and finally at the end of the day.
Further, to prevent conventional cutting boards from moving or sliding during food processing, typically a wet towel is placed underneath the board. This is effective, but it can be unsanitary. An efficient means to stabilize the board during cutting is desirable.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved cutting board that is stable, expedites the processing of foods, and reduces the possibility to contaminate food due to cross-contamination from processing different food types, or accidental contamination from food juices running off of the cutting board.
The disclosure contained herein describes attempts to address one or more of the problems described above.